Reykjavik says its workforce equals 11.3% of working-age residents

Reykjavik employs about 11,000 people, equivalent to 11.3% of the city’s working-age population, according to figures reported by mbl.is. Statistics Iceland recorded 97,375 Reykjavik residents aged 18 to 70 at the end of last year.

The calculation does not account for residents who are unable to work or are unemployed. National unemployment stood at 7.3% in January, the article said; including unemployed and non-working residents would raise the share represented by the city workforce.

Figures from the municipal yearbook, based on full-time equivalent positions on April 1, 2025, show lower proportions in neighbouring municipalities. Kópavogur had 2,025 full-time equivalent positions, equal to 7.6% of its 26,639 working-age residents. The figures were 8.1% in Hafnarfjörður, 8.3% in Garðabær and 9.3% in Mosfellsbær.

The yearbook lists 9,266 full-time equivalent positions for Reykjavik, or 9.5% of its working-age population, compared with the roughly 11,000 employees shown on the city’s website. The difference may be because more than one employee shares some positions, the article said.

The city has been streamlining its operations, and its workforce has fallen by 130. The figures also do not show where employees live: Reykjavik residents may work for other municipalities, and municipal employees may live elsewhere.